Over the years, various types of devices for electrical stimulation of muscles and/or nerves have been developed. These devices can be used for increasing muscle tone, physical therapy, repairing damaged nerves, etc., of users. However, some of the previous attempts, although fulfilling their various objects, suffer from problems resulting in their lack of acceptance into the consumer market place.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,708,149 to Axelgaard et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,785,813 to Petrofsky, U.S. Pat. No. 4,796,631 to Grigoryev, U.S. Pat. No. 5,133,354 to Kallok, and U.S. Pat. No. 6,236,890 to Oldham are directed to muscle and/or nerve electrical stimulation devices that include electrodes that are adhered onto or stabbed into the skin over the muscle or nerve being stimulated. However, such devices suffer from a range of problems, including, for example, the electrodes becoming de-attached from the skin during movement, the devices being relatively difficult to manufacture, etc.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,610,250 to Sarbacher, U.S. Pat. No. 4,583,547 to Grannek et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,133,354 to Kallok, U.S. Pat. No. 5,487,759 to Bastyr et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,575,809 to Sasaki, U.S. Pat. No. 5,814,093 to Stein, U.S. Pat. No. 5,857,984 to deBoer et al., and U.S. Pat. No. 6,151,528 to Maida are directed to muscle and/or nerve electrical stimulation devices that include electrodes that are incorporated within a garment, brace, belt, etc. However, such devices suffer from various problems, including, for example, the devices with integral electrodes being relatively difficult to manufacture and having to be custom-made for varying body types and sizes, the devices with fixed electrode positions providing inadequate muscle stimulation for varying body types and sizes, the devices lacking electrode placement for optimal abdomen and back muscle or nerve stimulation for varying body types and sizes, etc.